A Reflection Paper on Colonial Mentality

By: Thomas Harrold V. Nemiada

A colonial mentality is defined as the theory of feelings of inferiority experienced by

communities that have been colonized by another country/state. This theory may also express the

foreign colonizers' sense of superiority over them. Such events occur in many parts of the world,

particularly among those who have been colonized (like the Philippines). Philippine colonization

was one of the Southeast Asian countries colonized by a great imperial ruler. However, unlike

other countries in the region such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, the Philippines was ruled

by two major powers: Spain and America. One consequence of colonialism is the Colonial

mentality, which is the idea that one has been conditioned to attach more importance to the values

of the dominant culture over one's own

“Tangkilikin ang sariling atin.” is a cliché heard quite often, but not lived by. This is true of

one of the Filipinos' undesirable attitudes, colonial mentality. Colonial mentality is the preference

for all things foreign over our own. It is a common disease among Filipinos that should be treated.

First, it is a burden and a barrier to the Philippine economy's progress. The Filipinos' lack of

interest in local products resulted from the embedded colonial mentality. Foreign product

demand has surpassed local product demand, resulting in a drop in support for local goods. The

preference for K-dramas (Korean dramas), for instance, and western films in the country may

lead to the decline of our own cinematography. Korean dramas, in fact, topped the list of the top

ten Netflix series in the Philippines. As people's interest in Korean dramas grows, so does their

desire for Korean cuisine. Korean dramas showcase their culture and entice viewers to try their

cuisine throughout the series. The act of watching piques viewers' interest in the country's culture

depicted in the show, which is why Filipinos' apathy may lead to the decline of our
cinematography. Filipinos must remain relevant in order to promote and pique people's interest

in our local products.

Furthermore, it has harmed Filipino culture. Some of the most common effects of colonial

mentality are loss of culture or language, changes in perceptions of beauty to fit a Eurocentric

standard, and a preference for values that align with the culture of the colonizer country. Many

Filipinos experience a loss of culture or language, particularly those who do not live in the

Philippines and instead live in the United States or Canada, both of which have significant Filipino

populations. Language is the medium through which we communicate and learn. English has

played a significant role in enabling effective communication among different races and dialects

over the last few decades. This refers to globalization, the phenomenon of the convergence of the

world's cultures and economies. Although there are significant benefits to using English as the

dominant language on a global scale, there are also concerns raised against English as the dominant

language. Suppression, degradation, and even extinction of other languages is one of them.

Although English bridges dialects, races, and cultures, it also constrains other native and local

languages. Minorities' native languages may gradually become marginalized. Though native or

local languages are frequently used in conversation, their popularity as an effective tool of

communication, either in written or spoken form, or both, has declined. There is no doubt that

declination of native language practice is possible in such a setting.

The belief of favoring light-skinned people over those with darker skin is a reflection of

Filipino’s ideals of beauty while following the foreign standard of beauty. I am one of the regular

customer of Watsons and as I observed, the majority of the skincare products available in their

store or even in the Philippine market is whitening products. Striving to attain a lighter

complexion affects how we view ourselves and others. I remember African missionaries assigned
to my place few years ago. One day, they went for shopping and when they got home, the Parish

Priest(Filipino) was wondering when he saw a bar of whitening soap in their shopping bag. He

chuckled when one of those missionaries admit that he bought it. This I believe is the influence of

the people they were with here in the Philippines. In western countries like the United Sates,

tanned skin is deemed attractive and desireable in their culture, which imparts that such standars

vary from culture to culture. However, it does not convey that we should confrom to society’s

standards. One must accept their natural color despite what others say to encourage individuality.

Finally, some Filipinos prefer to work abroad than serve their own country, and their usual

reason is because of better opportunities and higher salaries. Last March 17,2022, the Philippine

Statistics Authority revealed that the number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Filipino

workers who worked abroad during the period of April to September 2020 was estimated at 1.77

million. Evidently, with such actions, Filipinos contribute to the economy of the other nations more

than our own which is what makes colonial mentality a strain to the Philippine.

The examples and personal observations mentioned above is enough to say that, yes, we

still have that colonial mentality. Colonialism has a long-lasting effects and it is evident on the

cultures that we share from our colonizers like adopting American names, playing American

games like boxing and football, eating ice cream, cookies, and humbergers, “pagbebeso” or kissing

the cheeks of parents or elders as a sign of respect, etc.

Though American colonization brought us some positive results and contributions.

However, its negative impact to us as Filipinos are still evident. As a result, because of the negative

economic, cultural, and social consequences for the Philippines, this distasteful mindset must be

eradicated.
 We are Filipino because we decided to be Filipino — because our forefathers decided that

we could unite under this Filipino identity to resist Spanish, Japanese, and American colonizers

across hundreds of islands of hundreds of different ethnicities, languages, and peoples. Our

forefathers died fighting colonization because they loved and hoped for us, and I hope that we can

feel the love of a million ancestors whenever we feel ashamed of your Filipino identity. Our desire

for freedom has led us to freedom. No one can change our colonial history; however, the colonial

mentality can be eradicated. Nonetheless, some Filipinos prefer foreign goods over local

counterparts, adhere to unrealistic beauty standards, and regard English as superior to Filipino.

There is nothing wrong with appreciating other cultures and changing one's appearance, but we

must not lose sight of our Filipino identity and the fact that we were born Filipinos. Whatever we

prefer, we must always remember to cherish our own and never forget to love our own.

Reference:
Colonial Mentality: Its Roots. (2016, Dec 24). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/colonial-mentality-
its-roots-essay on September 23, 2022.
Heins, C. (2022, January 13). The Effects of Colonial Mentality Are Long-Lasting on Filipino Youths.
Retrieved from https://newuniversity.org/2022/01/13/the-effects-of-colonial-mentality-are-long-lasting-
on-filipino youths on September 23, 2022